This is one of the two "Grand Prix" races held in Japan each year.

Ten of the runners are selected by popular vote and this year there was a record 260,742 votes for Efforia, who will start favourite on 2.5.  Takeshi Yokoyama has the ride.

Second most popular was the 6yo mare Chrono Genesis who will be retiring after today.  She has been a wonderful flag bearer for Japan and this year was no exception when she ran second in the Sheema at Dubai and seventh in the Arc in Paris.  She's on 3.2 and will have her regular partner Christophe Lemaire in the irons.

Stella Veloce (Fast Star in Italian) is a 3yo colt who is never far away and on Sunday he will be partnered by Mirco Demuro and at present is on 8.6 and firming in the market.

Titleholder was the third pick in voting and was the winner of the Kikuka Sho.  He's on 9.2 but has drawn the car park and is on 9.2.

There's quite a gap in the market after that with next pick Deep Bond on 18.7, but we love Aristoteles even though he hasn't always helped pay the mortgage but he is very capable and will be ridden by Yutaka Take who rode a blinder last weekend on Do Deuce in the Futurity and 29.1 is very tempting.

The weather looks OK – some sleet expected overnight but Sunday should have sunny intervals and a slight breeze with the temperature getting up to 6!